Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G Phantom Silver 128GB Review

A battery king with a great camera, but wildly overpriced for its age. Only buy if you find it for half its asking price.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is a power user's dream phone that's starting to show its age. The one thing you need to know is this: it's a battery and camera champion from a few years back, but you're paying a premium for last-gen tech. At $1200, that's a tough sell unless you find a killer deal. It's fast, it lasts forever, and the camera zoom is still wild, but the design feels a bit chunky and the software is a few versions behind.

The performance is still top-tier, landing in the 95th percentile. The Snapdragon 888 and 12GB of RAM handle everything you throw at it without a hiccup. What surprised us was the battery life, sitting in the 97th percentile. That 5000mAh battery is a tank, and it's the main reason this phone still feels relevant. You'll easily get through a heavy day and then some.

At its current $1200 price, the value is poor. You're paying near-flagship money for last year's (or the year before's) flagship. It only makes sense if you find it heavily discounted, like in the $700-$800 range. At that point, the stellar battery and camera become much more compelling.

Compared to the newer Google Pixel 10, you're trading AI smarts, a cleaner software experience, and likely better low-light photos for the S21 Ultra's superior battery life and more versatile zoom. Against something like the OnePlus 15, you'd get a much newer, faster chip and probably better value, but you'd lose out on the Samsung's camera polish and wireless charging if that's your thing. The S21 Ultra feels like it's competing in a different era.

If you want the latest software, a sleek modern design, or the best value for your dollar, this isn't it. Go get a Google Pixel 10 or a discounted Galaxy S23 instead. You'll be happier.

We can't recommend buying this at full price. It's a fantastic phone that was let down by time and Samsung's own rapid release cycle. If you absolutely need the best battery life and a crazy zoom camera from the Samsung ecosystem, and you find it for a deep discount, go for it. For everyone else, put that $1200 towards a newer Pixel, a Galaxy S23/S24 series phone on sale, or even last year's OnePlus flagship. You'll get more for your money.